Playing Matchmaker
by shafo94
Summary: How can you play matchmaker to something totally random and internal? It's weird... right? Post-Breaking Dawn. JacobxLeah; SethxOC; I would say it's better than it sounds but why don't you read to find out? Reviews are greatly appreciated!
1. Bella

This story is going to take place through multiple points of view including Bella, Leah, Jacob, Neela (OC), Seth, Renesmee, and third person (as in he/she instead of I/me). Though the story is mostly centered on Seth's romance with Neela, Leah and Jacob's romance will also be shown in the story. Of the points of view, I may not use all of them, but I'm just listing them so it doesn't seem weird.

I don't own shit blah, blah, blah.

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***Bella***

It had been two years since my birth, or more like my rebirth. I was a vampire now. I would be with Edward for eternity with my beautiful daughter and three loving families.

Yes, three.

Of course, I had Charlie and Renée who love me always—though these days Charlie was a little cautious of anything having to do with Jacob and all of this weird…existence. But, he loved Renesmee, well, adored her actually, so he never did stay away for long. And she loved him back; she dreamt about him often.

My semi**-**newly acquired family was the Cullens. They had been my family ever since Edward came into my life, but I had only recently been turned into one of their kind with the birth of my daughter. I knew this family would be fun, and I was right.

My last family surprises even me. My Quileute family, my werewolf family, is the strangest, and yet, the most intriguing of all. Even after I was turned into vampire (this would traditionally break the treaty between the Cullens and the Quileutes) the Cullens were not destroyed, no they couldn't be. Jacob imprinted on Renesmee just moments after she was born. I know, I can't even believe it myself. This tied him to our family and even the wolves wouldn't obliterate us. Most of them had imprinted, they couldn't fathom losing the person they imprinted on and they wouldn't do that to Jacob.

Though Renesmee came closer to reaching teenage age, Jacob still said that he felt nothing in the way of romance for her. He didn't think he ever really would. He would be what Emmett was to me, the big—more like giant—brother protector. Beside the fact that I would probably beat him up for falling in love with my daughter, Jacob had stronger motivation not to love her like that: Leah Clearwater.

Jacob had separated and formed his own pack. Then, Leah and Seth began to follow him. With no one else to listen to her thoughts, Leah dished out everything. Her feelings about Sam, about life… and her hopelessness. Though it took the two stubborn knuckleheads a while, they finally got around to admitting their feelings. But, Leah's happiness was fractured, not perfectly whole; she still thought about Sam's betrayal a lot. Jacob would tell me, he saw her mind and everything. The good part was that Jacob had already imprinted. There was no threat to their relationship.

The treaty that once bound the Cullens and the werewolves from mixing was almost moot point now. Well, Jacob was willing to have me around anyway. He had called me up:

"Hey Bella!" my Jacob said in an eager voice. He became even more of my Jacob now that he was his own Alpha.

"Hey Jake, what's up?"

"Well, I dunno, I just wanted to hang out." I sensed that he was keeping something from me.

"No, really. Why do you want me to come over?"

"Well there's this girl—"

"What girl, why do _I_ need to come over?"

"Gosh, slow down and just listen."

I waited, silent as a church mouse.

"Okay…you know what, why don't I just come pick you up and take you to the rez?"

"You know that Edward wouldn't like that. I want to take Ren with me." I had given Renesmee a new nickname to combat the hideousness that was "Nessie."

"Oh, all right. Just come down, I'll explain when you get here. Bye."

"Alright, see you in a few, Jake."

I hung up the phone and Edward was at my side. He kissed me lightly on the lips and went slowly down the side of my face until he reached the place where my neck turned into my shoulder.

"Hello," I breathed. Even after the start of my eternity with him, he never ceased to make me lightheaded and breathless.

"Hello. What are these plans your making?"

"Just going down to see Jake. Apparently, there's someone new on the reservation. I was going to take Ren if you don't mind."

"No, it's alright. Have a nice time." He smiled, not joking at all, and kissed me on the lips again.

"Renesmee," I called softly around the house knowing that she could hear with her halfway acute vampire hearing.

She came into view quietly and gracefully skipped down the stairs with the worn out doll that Jacob had given her. Though it had only been two years, Renesmee looked around six, she would grow rapidly reaching eighteen in about six years. She still had her chubby face and her bronze hair had its not**-**too**-**tight corkscrew curls. I held my arms open for her when she reached the bottom and she jumped into them snuggling against my chest.

"We're going to see Jake, alright Ren?" She nodded happily and then kissed Edward on his stone cheek before we left.

***

I parked in front of Jacob's barn**-**red house, but it didn't look like anyone was inside. I left Renesmee in the back seat and knocked on the Blacks' door. No one came so I knocked again. I tried to get a glance through the curtains, but I couldn't see anything. I suddenly heard two things at once: Ren saying, "Mommy!" and the cell phone ringing. I flashed back to the car and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

It was Edward. "Jacob called here again. He's at Emily's place. He also says quote, 'I'm so sorry. That was really dumb that I didn't mention where we were. Hurry, please.' He didn't want me to paraphrase."

"Thank you, Edward."

"No problem, love." He hung up the phone.

I closed my door and looked back briefly to see if Ren had her seatbelt on. I always half**-**worried about her, she was only _half_**-**vampire. Her heart still beat, her blood still flowed. She was still half­**-**fragile.

I drove down the winding road to find Emily and Sam's house nestled into the woods as always. I parked the car and appeared by Ren's door to open it for her. She stepped out and I picked her up to go inside.

It was quite crowded. The usual party was at attendance, and, as usual, they filled the whole place. Emily's cooking smelled good, but not in a way that was appetizing to me. I caught Jake's eye and he perked up immediately. He bounded over to us and Renesmee reached for him. She slid easily out of my arms and I smiled at them both.

Every time Jacob looked at Renesmee, there was something in his eye, something special. Just for her. It was different for Leah. He had a look for Leah but it wasn't quite the same adoration, or whatever it was.

Though I was content to stand forever, it felt more normal to sit. I found an empty place on the floor.

"There's a vampire among us," Embry's playful voice rose above the din. The room quieted immediately and all eyes were fixed on me. Except one pair.

A slender girl sat on one of the stools around the kitchen's island. She was Indian, but not Quileute. Something about her was different. Her face was very flat, but not as wide as I expected. Her gracefully high cheekbones rested on a thin face that reminded me of Leah, though she was still very different. Her lips were full, but not out of place, and her mouth and nose were very small. She looked very delicate, breakable. She reminded me of when I was human, though I could never make a comparison to her beauty.

Her straight black hair was parted off center and hung to her waist. Her presumably dark eyes did not meet my gold ones. Then, suddenly, she looked up. I audibly gasped at her bright blue eyes. They stood out against her light russet skin. They were the most beautiful blue I had ever seen. They reminded me of the ocean, not the one in Forks, but the ocean when the sun is shining: perfectly blue, and just as deep.

Though I felt like I had stared at her face for an hour, this encounter happened much more quickly than I imagined. My sharp vampire eyes had left nothing unnoticed in the short five second "meeting."

She looked away just as quick and then I felt Ren tugging on my shirt. I smiled at her and looked into her chocolate eyes. Then I looked at Jake, making the question evident in my eyes. He smiled at me like he knew I would react this way.

"Bella, this is Neela. Neela, Bella," Jake announced.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled warmly at her.

"Yes," her voice fit her. With just the one word, I could tell that it was light and airy like the highest note on a flute, and just as clear. Her small smile seemed wary, like she didn't quite know what was going on. Otherwise, she seemed perfectly at ease with a house full of werewolves.

"Neela's from the Chinook reservation down in Grays Bay on the Columbia River. She's fifteen. Her parents sent her up here because their going through some rough times. They're friends of the Clearwaters."

Clearwaters… I looked around the room and this time I really looked at the faces. They were all there, even Leah. But, someone was missing.

"Where's Seth?" I asked.

"He went down after they started trekking Neela up here. He's going to help her family with some stuff like moving and things. He let's us know how it's going every night." He smiled at the joke, not at all private in this room. Except to Neela.

"Wait, Neela, do you know about this whole…" I struggled to find the right word to describe their transformation situation, "thing," I finished. It was absolutely, the most lackluster description of what was going on. The wolves, and everyone else—even Neela—laughed at, I assumed, my stupid explanation.

She nodded and the party continued. Emily put food on the small coffee table, and the wolves descended, literally. I snagged a piece of bread with butter and handed it to Renesmee. She sniffed it and decided it wasn't bad. She ate it easily, unlike some human foods that she found repulsive.

When the food was mostly done, Jake came to sit with me. Ren requested his lap over mine and I conceded. She sat on Jacob's warm lap as he talked to me.

"So what's up in vampire land?"

"I'm having a perfectly normal," I hesitated, still amused by the thought, "existence. Aside from the fact that I'm, well, a vampire."

We both laughed easily.

"How're you and Leah?" I was truly curious.

"Well, we're fine… I guess. She seems to be getting a little distant. I'm going to talk to her… in private… soon."

"I hope you get that settled soon, then. So what else is up with Neela, and this whole deal?"

"Well, little fact, Neela means blue or color of the sea. I just thought that was pretty cool since her eyes are blue and all."

I sensed that this was some sort of diversion, a cool diversion, but one nonetheless.

"Really, Jacob. What's up with her?" I glanced over at the silent, semi**-**uncomfortable girl whose blue eyes were carefully hidden under her eyelashes as well as a downward gaze.

"Well this is going to sound dumb… stupid… maybe even a little creepy—"

"Oh… maybe I don't want to know."

"No, no, I guess it's not that bad," Jacob smiled sheepishly as he unconsciously played with Renesmee's curls. "Well—and Leah agrees with me, by the way—I was kinda hoping that… Seth would imprint on her. There are five of us who already have. I can only assume that Seth and Embry are next. But, seeing as Embry hasn't imprinted on her by now, Seth's the only one left. I know it's weird; playing matchmaker to something totally random and internal. But, hey, we can always try."

"Yeah," I nodded, dazed. I took another look at the beautiful Chinook girl. Seth would be a perfect match for her, bring her out of her metaphorical shell. Then I began to wonder why he wasn't here. Were they testing out Embry before they brought Seth, just in case? I wasn't getting it anymore.

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Little meanings and pronunciation key, just to let you know:

Neela – blue/color of the sea

Tanse – dance

NEE–la TAN–say

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I'm sort of writing as I go along so it might take a while. Reviews do motivate, so it you like it don't be shy XD


	2. Seth

I've worked so long and hard on this chapter. I introduced a few more characters and we get a little bit about Seth's situation since he's not back home with everyone else. Hope you like it! Review with critiques and ideas or whatever. I thrive on reviews!!!

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***Seth***

"This bites," I muttered to myself as I hefted _yet another_ box into the truck bed.

"Jeez, these Quileute kids," the large man next to me muttered and then turned to me. "Relax, cheechako*****, you'll be home soon. Besides, you've hardly been here a week."

"I know, Takoda, but I miss my friends. You can understand that, don't you miss your sister?"

"Neela?" he cocked an eyebrow at me. "I just don't want all your wolf friends to come on to her." He bellowed a huge laugh and I immediately got uncomfortable. For all he knew, someone had already imprinted on her and it was too late. I managed to choke out a laugh just a little too late. "Seth?"

"I'm fine, let's keep loading," I walked away with my fists tight. Why did I care so much if someone had imprinted on this girl? I hadn't even met her.

"Okay."

I was still curious about his statement for some reason. "Why would it matter if one of my friends liked Neela?"

"Sorry, bud, that's classified information right there."

"You know, that just makes me all the more curious," I eyed him hoping he would break and spill the beans.

"I really do want to tell someone, but only," he counted mentally, "nine people know. That's really not a lot, considering."

"Nine?"

"If I told you who the other four were, it would give it away."

"Aww, come on, I promise I won't think about it. No one will know."

"Fine." He took me on the side of the truck away from the rest of his family inside. "Neela is betrothed." Takoda shook his head while I looked at him in shock.

"Y-you mean to be ma-ma-married?"

"Gosh, say louder, please. And yes."

"Sorry, it's just," I took a pause to sigh loudly and lean against the truck, "whoa. But she's… she's my age!"

"She's not getting married right now, maybe in five or six years, but if she falls in love… The other family won't be too happy. They're already thinking about betrothing their other son to Nayeli."

That almost set me off. I'd never been one to phase because of my temper, but having Nayeli was like having my own baby sister. She just about the most adorable eight-year-old you have ever seen. In just a week, I'd already grown attached. One of her favorite things to do was assign places at the dinner table. I always sat next to her. When I wasn't doing other things, I would happily play any game with her.

But, still, something was missing. This wasn't like Quil or Jacob. I hadn't imprinted. But I almost felt like I had. I was totally devoted to this girl… there was just no way to make it certain. There was no magic werewolf connection at all. I liked her just because, and for no other reason. But that was okay, I could deal with never imprinting. It would kind of suck, if everyone did and I didn't, but it would be okay.

"No," I said through my teeth.

"I know," he nodded in agreement. "I was too young to stop it when Neela was betrothed, but I won't let them touch Nayeli, don't worry."

"You better do a good job." I couldn't imagine the little girl being married, even if it was for the future. Just then, the front door opened. Takoda and I turned to look across the bed of the truck.

"Lunch time!" Nayeli stood at the door, hanging on the doorknob and smiling widely. We wandered out from behind the truck and made our way to the house.

"Did you make lunch?" I smiled and mussed her hair.

She lifted my arm off and fixed her straight black hair. "Yes I did."

Curious as to what an eight-year-old could conjure up for a meal, I went quickly to the small dining room. On the table sat three plates with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I smiled at her attempt to make lunch. For me, at least, one sandwich would not be enough.

"Hey Nayeli, when you're done there, do you want to make me another one?" I asked after I had quickly scarfed down my first sandwich.

"Did you like it?" her tawny eyes were alight with excitement. She jumped up and grabbed the ingredients to make the meal. Takoda and I watched as she began to make the sandwich. When she pulled out three pieces of bread, we both cocked an eyebrow at each other. She put jelly on one piece of bread, peanut butter on the other. She put them together and then began putting peanut butter on the other side of the slice on top. She spread jelly on the remaining slice and added it to the stack.

"A triple-decker," she announced happily as she set the plate in front of me.

"You are some kind of genius, Nayeli," I laughed. Takoda rolled his eyes at me.

"When you're done with that, we can finish loading the stuff and cover it."

"Alright."

I ate while Nayeli talked about school and her friends. She said that two of her friends had a crush on the same boy; they were still working things out. I chuckled at that. Third graders already fighting over a boy; what's so interesting about us?

"Thanks for lunch, Naya. Gotta go finish packing the stuff up." She nodded at me. "Hey, where're your parents?"

"Papa left for work, and Momma went on errands and stuff."

"Alright."

Takoda and I finished quickly. We secured the tarp on top of the truck bed, covering all of the boxes. We went inside where Nayeli fed us again, this time it was brownies. She never ceased to surprise me with what she could make. Nothing too complicated, but for a little girl I considered most anything an amazing feat.

Her mom got home first and we helped her unload all of the groceries and other things. She had been nice enough to get me some socks and a couple of shirts. Then their dad came home. He wasn't in such a good mood. He sat down roughly in his spot that Nayeli had assigned and demanded to know where dinner was.

Mrs. Tanse had it on the table within seconds of his complaints. We ate in relative silence as I stared across the table at Mr. Tanse's lined face. He reminded me of Billy except with short, business-like hair, and he rarely smiled. His forehead was deeply creased and his laugh lines were eternally carved into his cheeks; they must have formed before I knew him.

In comparison, Mrs. Tanse looked ten years younger. Though they were only a few years apart in age, Mrs. Tanse's lines and wrinkles were not as evident. She hadn't had as much to be stressed out about, being a stay-at-home mom. I thought about my own mom who had had to find a permanent job after my father…

I shoveled what was left on my plate into my mouth to distract my thoughts. Nayeli looked over at me in surprise that turned to worry. After I swallowed, I smiled at her to try and dispel the worry.

We all cleaned our own dish, except for Mr. Tanse who moved straight to the couch to turn on the TV. Nayeli got a brownie and a massive glass of milk. She set it on the coffee table and then climbed onto the couch and hugged her dad. The rest of us just watched, not sure what to do. Mr. Tanse sat still as a stone, until, suddenly, he hugged her back and began sobbing into her hair. Nayeli patted his back to comfort him and, still, none of us moved.

"It's okay Papa," she whispered into his ear. "Everything's going to be okay."

Her dad drew out of the hug and kissed her delicately on the forehead. Then, he whispered, "Thank you, Nayeli, I needed that. There's a reason your name means 'I love you', because I do." Nayeli giggled and kissed her father on the cheek.

"I love you, too, Papa."

She climbed out of his lap and ran over to Takoda. "I love you, too," she said, hugging his legs. "And you," she went on her tippy toes to kiss her mother's cheek. "And you, too." She snuggled her head into my waist.

***

It was my turn to tuck Nayeli into bed since Takoda nearly collapsed of exhaustion, Mrs. Tanse had done it last night, and, despite Nayeli's comfort, Mr. Tanse wasn't in an appealing mood.

"Do you have a story for me tonight?" she looked at me with bright eyes that didn't look close to sleep at all. "I want to know about the vampires."

"The vampires?" I mused. "Well, they're really cool. The werewolves are pretty close to them, me especially.

"They aren't like the vampires that pop culture's created… They're cooler. They don't have fangs, but their teeth could cut through a lot of stuff. They have deathly pale skin that's icy to the touch. And, they are utterly beautiful. It's amazing. Plus, they don't drink human blood, they hunt animals.

"And, they are really cool people. The father of the family, he's not really the father, they just treat him like one, he's so compassionate and he's even a medical doctor. He deals with blood everyday…"

As I babbled on and on about the Cullens, Nayeli slipped slowly into unconsciousness. I had bored her to the point of exhaustion with my child-like admiration for the Cullen family. I sighed and got up from her bed. I loped slowly to the door, turned of the light, and shut the door.  
I climbed into my own bed, trying to ignore the train station just across the small room. I looked into the blackness of the room and waited for sleep to come. It was such an unexpected thing; it was hard to make it come faster or slower.

I found myself thinking about Neela for some reason. I closed my eyes to sleep, but an image behind my eyelids kept me awake. I imagined what she looked like, basing her appearance on Nayeli's juvenile face. I slimmed it down, put back the missing teeth, and stepped back to admire the picture. But it didn't seem right. I felt like there had to be more to Neela's face then I could imagine because I had not yet met her.

Then I tried to envision her personality. Was she anything like Nayeli? Loud, excited, daring… some part of me told me that was not the case. But it made this mystery girl so much more appealing.

I thought more about her. And, the more I thought, the more I began to envy this man who was set to marry her in just a few years. I kept conjuring up images and personalities as I drifted off into the land… of… sleep…

I woke up and glanced at the clock: 2:30… A.M. I had been sleeping soundly, so something must have woken me up. I listened hard to all the sounds around me. It was quiet but for a soft whimper from the room next door: Nayeli.

I climbed carefully out of bed so that I didn't wake Takoda up, and crept into Nayeli's room. I cracked open the door and heard her sniffles.

"Nayeli?" I whispered into the darkness.

"Seth?" she seemed surprised.

"Yeah," I said as I crossed the room to sit on the edge of her bed, "it's me."

"I had a nightmare." Her voice was tiny and hoarse. "You were gone, you just left without saying anything. And Neela got married and went away, and Takoda found work and went away. Momma and Papa," she tried to clear her tight throat, trying not to cry. "They left, too." She began to wail and I hugged her.

"I'm still here Nayeli. Do you hear that snoring? Takoda's still here. Your mom and dad are still here." I tried to comfort her. "Shh. It's okay, shh."

I crawled on the other side of her bed against the wall and draped my arm above her head. She hugged my waist as she cried and I patted her back and her head. She cried a little less and a little less until she stopped all together.

"Thanks Seth," she sniffled and looked up at me. She was a pretty, little girl and the lack of blinds on her window let the moonlight outside onto her face. Cheesy, I know. But it washed out her chocolate skin with a pale blue glow and brought out the blue that formed a ring around her pupil. Her black hair framed her wide face nicely and she looked like a little angel.

But, again, I was struck by the fact that something was still missing. I know I should feel something more, but I didn't. My instincts told me that, by the way everyone else acted, I should feel some crazy emotion, something physical. I just liked her a lot because she was nice; there was nothing else to it. I didn't want to be her boyfriend or husband later; I just wanted her to live a normal life without me in it.

"Tell me about werewolves, Seth," Nayeli said suddenly.

"Werewolves?" I smiled. "Well, we're pretty cool because we can transform whenever we want. And we can run… really fast. My sister's the only girl, but she's the fastest of all of us. And Jake's the biggest and the strongest. We're all different colors too. And, the coolest part, we can hear each other's thoughts when we're in our wolf forms."

"Wow, that's amazing!" She smiled up at me. "Tell me more about your friends."

"Well, my best friend is probably my sister, I know that sounds weird. She's really supportive, and sometimes over protective. But, she means well, and I always turn out better with her help.

"My best friend that's not a direct family member is Jacob. He's the alpha wolf in our pack, but he doesn't like to give orders. He's a really cool guy, I kinda look up to him… a lot. There are a lot of other people, but Leah and Jake are my best friends. They're going out though, so that's kind of weird."

"Do _you_ have a girlfriend?" she asked quietly.

"No," I said my answer like a question. "Why?"

"You could wait for _me_, then. Werewolves don't age, right?" Nayeli's moon-soaked face was bright with excitement.

I didn't look at her, and I didn't answer her question. I didn't want to hurt her.

"_Could_ _you_… wait for me?" Her once hopeful eyes were downcast in embarrassment.

"No."

"Why?" her hoarse whisper was garbled by her strained throat. She was trying not to cry. "You don't… _want_ to?"

"No! That's not it, I promise." I paused to think about my answer carefully. "Nayeli, has anyone ever told you about imprinting?"

"You mean that thing that baby birdies do?"

"Sort of." I smiled. "Except, when werewolves imprint, it's more like love at first sight."

"That sounds cheesy," she snorted.

"Well, it's more than that. Once you see that person, nothing else matters anymore. Gravity, the meaning of life, you've found it in her. She is the center of your life. Your only mission in life is to do anything she asks, make her as happy as possible. You will be for her whatever she needs, whether it's a brother, nanny, best friend, boyfriend, or even a husband. You're there for her, and she can trust you with anything."

"Did you… imprint… yet?"

"No." I tried to keep the bitterness out of the remark.

"So, why can't you wait for me, why won't you?" Her voice developed a hopeful edge; hoping for a new answer.

"Because I haven't yet, I haven't imprinted." I paused to see if she would respond. "I've seen it before, Nayeli, someone getting their heart broken. It's painful to watch. I would never want to be the reason for that to happen to you."

"I don't understand."

"I don't want to make a promise I can't keep. I wouldn't let you down like that. What if I told you I would wait for you? I could imprint on someone the next day, the next hour. I wouldn't have the capacity to love anyone else in that way anymore."

"Oh."

"You need to go to sleep."

"Will you leave?"

"Only if you want me to."

"Stay," she said in a tiny voice. "Can you hold my hand?"

"Sure." I held her tiny hand as she drifted off into hopefully pleasant dreams.

**

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*cheechako – newcomer, tenderfoot

Every time you don't review for this story… a puppy dies. Save the puppies, kids.

Haha. Seriously though, please review!!!


	3. Neela

FINALLY! It's summer for me, so I actually have time to do some writing. Anyway, this one is about Neela. We meet her, learn more about her personality, and read everything from her point of view. And—drum roll please—we ALMOST get to the part were she meets Seth. So exciting. _That_ chapter, ladies and gentlemen, is currently in the works.

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***Neela***

I woke with a jolt. I threw the covers off me in a flurry of motion that was extreme enough to wake Leah.

"Neela, what?" Leah's half-open eyes looked confused.

"I got hot," I tried to lie smoothly. I couldn't lie for beans.

"First of all, you're in Washington, it's never hot. And second, you're not a middle-aged menopausal woman, so you don't have hot flashes. Tell me what's up."

I sighed. Since the week that I'd first met her, I'd become an easily readable book to Leah. She didn't even have to open it or turn the page, I did it for her.

"I had a dream is all," I whispered.

"Must've been a pretty scary dream," Leah was sincerely concerned.

"No."

"Exciting?"

"In a way."

"What kind of way?"

"Well," I considered whether I should tell her and then reasoned with myself that she was the only real friend I'd had since I was nine… and I could trust her, "it was about a boy."

"Ooo, sex dream! Tell me all about it!"

I suddenly _felt_ like a menopausal woman as I had a flash of heat rise in my body from embarrassment. The cool blue moonlight could not disguise my face, cherry red under the golden brown. "Not like that," I muttered, unable to form a truly coherent sentence.

"What other kind of dream is there about a boy?" Leah laughed boisterously. I envied her ease when making conversation and how simply she spoke her mind.

"Just his face."

"Do you know him? Do you remember what he looked like?"

"He was Native American, but not the person I _should_ be thinking about." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could put my foot in it.

"Person you… _should_ be thinking about?"

Again I remembered that she was the only one I could share this with, I had no other friends. "You must swear to me on your life that you will never tell a soul what I am about to tell you now." Leah nodded gravely. "I'm betrothed." My head fell in shame and I let it loll around before I looked back up to gauge Leah's reaction. Her blinking eyes were wide and her mouth had yet to close. "Betrothed to a horrible, rude, angry, violent boy."

I surprised myself as tears overflowed and I began to cry. But it felt good to let my emotions run me for at least a minute or two. Leah came to sit next to me and give me a hug. I longed for the boy in my dream, his face smiled at me with its wide eyes and broad grin.

"Tell me about the boy in your dream," Leah coaxed.

"He was so cute and nice and intelligent-looking. He had dark black hair that stuck up in little spikes and smooth copper skin. His eyes were a dark brown, but there was a ring of blue-gray around each pupil. His teeth were so white that they sparkled. I wanted to hug him, so I reached out for him, that's when I fell. So, I guess the falling…" I trailed off. The sadness set in more clearly now that I knew I could no longer see his face.

"You'll see him again. If you think about him enough, your mind will put him back in your dreams," Leah assured me.

"I don't dream regularly," I countered. "This is the first dream I've had in a while."

"You'll see him again."

***

The next morning I had to wake up early. As Leah slumbered quietly, I got ready for school making as much noise as possible until she woke up.

"Real considerate you are," she smiled.

"Sorry, I'm used to having at least one person get up with me in the morning."

"Fine, fine, I'm up. I'll go make us breakfast," Leah got up and stretched. I finished making the bed when I saw a picture on the night table. It had the boy from my dream in it, I think. He was much smaller, but the features were basically the same. Before Leah could leave, I asked her about it.

"Leah, who's that?" I pointed to the picture.

"Oh, that's my brother Seth and our dad. My dad loves… loved fishing. He took us when I was about eleven. Worst experience of my life! We never went again after that… I think Seth regrets it."

"How old was he?"

"Well, I was eleven so he was six." I mentally calculated the age difference finding out that this mystery boy was just a year older than me.

"Why isn't he here?"

"He went to help your parents pack up and stuff."

"Oh, right." An awkward silence followed as Leah and I glanced at each other. "Go make breakfast." I looked away and began making Leah's bed too, for lack of anything better to do.

When I was finished, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. Steam began to fill up the tiny bathroom and it engulfed me in the warmth. A warmth that doubled in the piping hot water that melted away my troubles. I closed my eyes and saw Seth's giddy smile behind my lids. I quickly opened them though I didn't want to. The rest of my short shower was spent in an uncomfortable battle to control the thoughts in my mind.

My concentration was broken by a knock on the door. "Neela if you don't get out now you're going to be late!"

I hurried out of the shower and got dressed. Grabbing my school bag, I headed down the short flight of stairs and straight into someone else.

"Oh, Jacob!" My face burnt with embarrassment and I quickly got silent and sat at the table. There was a plate with two large pancakes, but I almost didn't want to eat them. I grimaced without realizing it.

"Neela are you okay?" Leah was concerned. She looked comparatively smaller next to Jacob. I nodded silently and began to eat the food.

Jacob talked quietly to Leah, but I couldn't help listening in. "So, Seth thinks he'll be coming back soon. Probably Wednesday or so, he said. Man, I actually miss the little twerp."

"I know, I like having him around sometimes."

Then something odd happened. Both werewolves looked at me quickly and then went back to doing whatever they had been doing. I ate the rest of what I could, grabbed my bag, and bolted out the door.

"Neela, wait." Jacob had already caught up to me in two long strides. He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "You want a ride?"

I nodded, unable to speak to him, again. The car ride was silent mostly, Jacob talked now and then, but I couldn't respond. I was too shy around him, and I didn't understand. He talked a lot about Renesmee, that little vampire girl. And he talked about Leah.

We reached school and I thanked him for the ride. The Quileute School was small. The elementary, middle, and high schools were in one lot. The little kids played their games while the older kids sat around, talking.

One little girl dressed in a bright pink shirt sat on the ground, crying. And, I did something I never did. I sat next to her and tapped her shoulder. She lifted her tan face and I saw her big eyes. They took up most of her face, but it fit her.

"What's wrong?" I felt more comfortable around children, for some reason. They didn't judge, or it seemed they didn't.

"My friends," she sniffed, "won't," another sniff, "won't… let me… jump," more sniffs, "rope… with them." Tears trickled out of her eyes again. I hugged her, she reminded me a lot of Nayeli, but not so strong.

I helped her up and pushed her over to her friends. I told her to ask politely if she could please play with them. Her friends welcomed her back saying that they were sorry. I felt for the little girl. Then I realized that she didn't remind me of Nayeli, she reminded me of myself. I went and sat on a bench, hugging my knees to my chest. I closed my eyes. Then there was shuffling and someone sat next to me. I opened my eyes to see Collin and Brady on either side of me.

I wanted to tell them to go away, but I was far too shy.

"What's up… Neela?" Brady put is arm around me. I shrugged my shoulders both to answer his question and to get his arm off me.

"Come on, Brady, have a little respect," Collin shoved his brother's* arm off me. It was hard to tell them a part, but I knew which was which. Collin was the nice one. Enough said. He was always looking out for me, like a big brother, only he was about my age.

School passed uneventfully, as it always did. I returned to the Clearwaters' home that night, as I always did recently. I was beginning to think there was no more purpose in life. As a child, I had always had wild adventures, even the simplest cardboard box would do. But, now… there was nothing.

I walked in the door after being driven home by Collin and Brady, to find an ecstatic Leah.

"Seth is coming home tonight!" I'd never thought before that a sister could like her brother that much. I guessed that the love grows with age (age being, you realize the other doesn't have cooties.)

"Cool," I breathed. I tried to put on a front, but inside, I shrieked with joy. The boy in my dreams, on the back of my eyelids, I would get to see him for real.

"I think you're going to like him… I hope you do," Leah smiled. "I think he'll like you, too." Leah laughed a little. There seemed to be some subtext to her tone as she dared a glance at Jacob (a glance that I saw.)

I had a snack and started on my homework as I gleefully awaited the arrival of Seth. Leah knocked on the door frame.

"So, we're going to Sam and Emily's tonight." Leah smiled at me. Again, there was a greater happiness somewhere inside her that was not displayed on her face. "Just wanted to let you know."

Leah turned to leave, but I wanted to ask her something. "Wait, Leah," I called. I then took on my usual quiet tone as Leah sat across from me on the floor. "What is Seth like?"

"Physically? He's pretty tall; he has a nice face, too. Nice as in he looks like a nice person," Leah smiled, and then she caught herself. "He has a nice face in terms of looks too, though. He's cute; he still kind of looks like a little boy, but he's pretty buff. He has a great smile too; I'm sure you'll get to see it. He pretty much smiles all the time." Leah sighed. I could tell that she had been missing Seth. Then, she continued. "Personality-wise, Seth is great. He's really sweet and he would do anything for just about anyone. He's obsessed with the Cullens, though. I wish he wasn't."

"You don't like them?" I asked. "Are they going to be there tonight?"

"Bella and her daughter will be, probably," Leah answered.

"You don't like them?" I asked again.

"I… I find it… _difficult_ to like them," Leah looked at me. I wasn't really satisfied with her answer so I pushed just a little further.

"Why?"

"Well… Bella in particular. She hurt Jake a lot. I find it really hard to forgive her for that."

"But if Bella hadn't hurt Jacob…" I had to carefully phrase the next part of the sentence to make sure Leah understood what I meant, "Jacob wouldn't have realized how much he loved _you_."

Leah smiled. I was thankful that she hadn't taken my statement the wrong way.

"That's true. Thanks Neela."

Leah left me to my own devices which didn't really make me happy. It gave my mind too much space to wander and think of things that made me worry. I thought about my betrothal, about my family and our problems. Then, my mind would always wander back to Seth. I closed my eyes and let my mind… drift… off…

"Neela!" I was shocked awake by Leah's voice. "We have to go in, like, thirty minutes!"

"Sorry, sorry," I said as I got up off the floor and started to get dressed. I got dressed quickly and was ready to go in about ten minutes. I got downstairs and Leah and Jacob were having one of their "secret conversations" again.

"You look nice," Leah commented. I was unaware if she noticed that I _had _actually dressed up, or if she was just saying that. I said a quiet thank you as Sue took Leah, Jake, and me out of the house and into the car. Jacob's car was too small for all of us, so we sat comfortably in Sue's big car on the way to Sam and Emily's.

I noticed that Leah had something in her lap as she sat next to me in the back seat.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's Seth's birthday. Sorry, I didn't tell you." Leah smiled and muttered, in Jacob's direction, something that sounded like, "I'm hoping you'll be your own present."

I didn't press the matter. Instead, I sat, intently concentrated on not bursting with all of my body's excitement. The drive to the house nestled in the woods seemed to take longer than usual. But, when we finally did arrive, the house—even in its barest form—seemed magical.

As the day (and my anticipation) had progressed, my vision of the house had developed a supernatural aura about it. How could I know if Seth was really as special as I thought? What if my expectations were too high?

My last-minute worry (that always kicked in just as special moments came to fruition) started filling my head. I asked myself millions of questions.

Leah looked at me and asked, "Are you ready?" I wanted to tell that I truly was not. But she continued, saying, "Don't worry, everything's going to be fun!" I let her try to dispel my worries though I knew that nothing but actually meeting Seth could.

We all stepped out of the car and headed toward the small house. The music inside could be heard from the outside and the house was adorned with lit-up Christmas lights that had obviously not been taken down for years. But, they fit. This was certainly a joyous occasion, similar to Christmas.

Sue knocked on the door and Emily came to invite us all in. I waited breathlessly as she mentioned everyone in the room. The entire Cullen family was in attendance, including Rosalie. All the wolves had squeezed themselves into the tiny house. And, last but certainly never the least, Seth came back from the bathroom and smiled the most heartbreaking grin that was as perfect as it had been in my dream.

* * *

*I'm just making up the fact that Collin and Brady are twins. I'm not sure if any of the books specify, but I'd like to include this random little fact in my story.

As I was writing this, I thought. Wow, it seems like Neela imprinted on Seth, not the other way around. Haha. I hoped you like this chapter. I know it was a long time coming for those of you who keep up with my two-chapter story.

Please review with comments, criticism, or ideas. ANYTHING would be appreciated!

_Preview (for those who care):_

Next Chapter: ***The Most Marvelous Thing***

Seth: "Neela, I love you more than you will ever know… I just want you to know _that_."


	4. The Most Marvelous Thing

It's going to go back in time a little bit. We left with Neela in Emily's house, but now it's going to go a little backwards and then it'll catch up from Seth's POV.

* * *

***The Most Marvelous Thing***

*Seth*

I made it back in time for my birthday. Well, I would soon, anyway. I howled into the cool afternoon air to signal my coming arrival. I heard Quil's thin howl in response. I had finished my work at the Tanse's house sooner than I expected. I said goodbye to the family and promised to send Neela back soon.

Neela.

She had consumed my every thought recently. I still had no idea why. I had only heard about her in stories from her family and had only seen her in old school pictures from when she was six. Even then she was hidden behind bangs.

I wanted to get home soon, to meet this mystery person, and relieve my mind from the ever-filling thoughts of the strange Chinook girl.

I decided that Sam and Emily's house was closer than my own home or Jacob's. So, I went there, much to my private chagrin. It was hard to be around them both. They were so happy and perfect while my sister—who I loved more than anything—was broken and shrewish.

Yeah, Leah had Jacob. But he couldn't heal anyone completely. He had tried with Bella, but she was never complete until her Edward came back. Now, Leah didn't want Sam back. In fact, it was just the opposite. She despised every encounter with the man. Though Emily was our cousin, Leah could not find it anywhere in the shattered pieces of her heart to love Emily anymore.

Leah put on a good show though. I always said she should've become an actress. She acted happy and nice when she had to. But, in private, I could hear Leah whine to herself at night. I heard her sneak out of her room to just be in the forest and run, or to be in the forest to scream profanities at the top of her lungs.

Sometimes, I would follow her when she ran. I would see where she went. She went to Sam's once in a while. She would sit in her wolf form and just look in their window. I could hear her thinking "That could have—would have—been me." Then I would phase back so that she would not hear my pity for her. I knew she didn't want it.

I turned my mind back to happy thoughts as I phased back, clothed myself, and knocked on Sam and Emily's door. Emily came and opened it.

"Seth!" she seemed overly happy. I wondered if our family was just _full_ of actresses.

"Hi Emily," I said as she took me into her embrace. "I was wondering if I could get cleaned up here before my birthday party."

"Well, we decided to have the party here, so, I think that's a great idea. Come in, come in."

I walked into the too tiny house and thought of the memories. We had always hung out here when we had first become wolves. Nowadays, we still hung out. I thought about my first month as a wolf. Both Leah and I came here often. In hindsight, my memories showed me how truly uncomfortable Leah was with being here. She hated things that reminded her of Sam. But, again, she always put on a good show.

I went to the bathroom and took a shower. It felt nice after running in the woods as a wolf all day. I just let myself unwind, got out, and changed into some decent clothes.

I helped Emily cook and prepare her house for guests. She really was a sweet person. I wondered if she also wore a mask. I kept saying that Leah was a great actress, but I wasn't a terrible actor either. I laughed and ate, and I talked to Sam and Emily. All the while, the memories of Leah in tears tugged at the back of my mind.

It was the first of two times that I'd seen my sister cry. She never cried at movies or out of frustration or anything. I hadn't known her as a baby, so I'd still never seen her cry. Then, one night she came home. She didn't say anything, but just went to her room. I didn't press the matter, but I waited outside her door and sure enough I heard her. I went inside and hugged her as she cried nonstop telling me about what Sam had done. The next time she cried wasn't until a few years later when our dad died. I swore to never forgive Sam, and then I became a wolf. I still didn't understand why he left Leah, but I kept those thoughts at the back of my mind where no one would see them.

It was almost time for the party. People had been trickling in for a little while. The whole Cullen family came; I was really happy about that. I thanked them each for coming, and, of course, embraced each of my wolf friends as they came. I went to the bathroom and when I came out, my mom, sister, and Jake had arrived with a girl—who I assumed was Neela—in tow.

_Then the most marvelous thing happened_. The room shifted, as near to physically shifting as it possibly could. The center now revolved around Neela. I asked myself a million questions all at once.

Did I just imprint? How? Why? Who is Neela? Is this why I've been thinking about her all the time?

I took in her appearance and deduced that she was utterly beautiful. She was slim but short. Her hair was long and sleek. Her face was smooth and unblemished as she looked up at me. Her blue eyes startled me as they went wide at my appearance. But all I could do was grin like an idiot.

"Neela… I…" I tried to say something, but I could think of nothing. How did other people feel when they imprinted?

I watched as Neela hid her beautiful eyes behind her thick eyelashes and Jacob came up to shake me.

"Dude!" Jacob screamed in my face. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Jake," I started as I focused my eyes on something other than Neela, "I'm better than okay. I'm the best I've ever been. I think… I might've…. I might've just imprinted on Neela."

I wasn't afraid of sharing it. It wasn't something to be ashamed of, right? Suddenly, I remembered that Neela was betrothed. Could she accept me? Jake said that most girls won't turn down such a level of commitment and adoration. But, couldn't she be the exception?

"Neela…" I broke from Jake's grasp to step closer to Neela who was still standing at the door with Leah and my mom. "Neela, um… I don't know how to explain this to you." I had down cast my eyes but I brought them up to look at Neela. She looked like a deer in the headlights, a beautiful deer, but one in the headlights nonetheless. It wasn't a good sign.

Then… she ran…

* * *

*Neela*

Then… I ran. I ran as fast as I could out the door and into the dense forest. It scared me, the forest. It had always scared me. But, I needed to escape. If fear could replace the utter shame that I felt, I would take it. I would take almost anything but the pain and disgrace.

I had betrayed my family and my father's wishes. I had only ever been told to do this one thing and I had failed. I was in love with this perfect boy; I could never be in love with the person I was supposed to love.

My life had become so complicated in just over a week. I wanted it to end. Part of me wished that none of this had happened. I would have remained a loner and gotten married in five years. It would have been the worst thing to happen in my life, but I wouldn't have let down my family.

But, the other part of me knew what _I_ wanted. What I wanted was Seth. What I wanted, wanted me. The other part of me wanted to be truly happy. It didn't want to forget all that had happened. It wanted me to continue on this road in hopes that I could achieve a truly happy relationship. The other part engulfed my mind once I felt the presence of someone… something else.

A wolf panted at my side as it ran at my slow, human pace. The sandy wolf was almost walking as we reached a clearing in the forest. I nearly collapsed out of exhaustion.

The fact that there were no trees allowed the smaller plants to thrive. Grasses had sprouted; moss and ferns grew in abundance. I caught my breath and sat down on the ground, knowing that I couldn't continue.

_Then the most marvelous thing happened_. I watched as a wolf jumped up, prepared to tackle me, and then suddenly it was Seth who came down, landing on me and forcing me to the soft, ferny forest floor. He pinned me by my wrists with my arms against the side of my face. He only used the gentlest force needed. He was tender.

I turned away and cast my eyes downward, thinking of how much we could not be together. My eyes got wet and a tear rolled down my face as I thought of the strife ahead. I couldn't wipe away my tear so Seth saw it on my face. I turned back to him, knowing I could hide no longer. I looked into his soft brown eyes and smiled at how much I loved him from just this one encounter.

"Neela," Seth muttered as his face drew closer and closer to mine. I almost didn't expect what came next. His breath was hot on my face when, suddenly, his lips touched mine. They were soft and warm, welcoming. His grip loosened on my wrists and I used the opportunity to wrap my arms around his neck. I pulled myself up slightly off the ground, and Seth responded by pushing me back down.

Seth.

I let my arms fall as Seth continued the kiss. I broke the kiss suddenly and turned to the side. Before I could stop myself, I began to sob.

"Neela," Seth was concerned. He grabbed my shoulder to turn me to face him. I tried to resist, but, even without him trying, his strength was at least five times greater than mine. I laid on my back once again as Seth leaned toward me. He kissed my forehead as I cried. He lifted me up, putting one hand on my lower back, the other cradling my head. We were in a sitting position when he hugged me.

I couldn't decide what was better, my first kiss, or his warm embrace. It was the most sincere thing I had ever felt. I felt it in the core of my soul that all of his emotion, all of his love for me, was contained in that one hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held onto him tightly. I would take at least this moment if I could have nothing else.

"Neela, I love you more than you will ever know… I just want you to know _that_." Seth's words were so right and I knew that I could not betray his love. I would have to find someway to be… un-betrothed. Nothing could change how right this felt; at that moment, everything fell into place except for one piece — the one piece that would never fit into the perfect puzzle. It would have to be replaced somehow, traded out for a better, fitting piece.

Traded out… for Seth.

***

Someone had called my parents. Someone—I cannot say who for I do not know—told them what happened with Seth. Someone had stripped me of what little happiness I had acquired the night before.

I was shipped off to Charlie's the next morning. I was told that I would live with him for the duration of my stay and I would go to Forks High School, all to avoid Seth. What a backwards world in which I seemed to live. Wasn't true love supposed to be allowed to flourish? Mine was being shut away and ignored. Well, not ignored, but definitely pulled out of my grasp. I was teased with it and then had it taken away.

I spent my Saturday and Sunday indoors as I read all of Bella Swan's—excuse me—Bella _Cullen's_ books. So many classics that I had been told to read and never had were sitting on her shelves. I got through a large portion of them.

For most of Saturday Charlie was away fishing. For the whole day, today, Charlie had been shuffling around downstairs, in and out of the kitchen, inviting friends over. Then, he finally came up to my… Bella's room.

"Hi, Neela," Charlie's friendly face peeked in the doorway.

I simply nodded in his direction. I didn't know what to say.

"Um, well, I know this isn't the ideal situation for you right now. I'd just like to try and make you feel as comfortable as possible. I thought I might order some Chinese."

Charlie was nice. At least he was making an effort. However, nothing could really make me feel comfortable until I was allowed to see Seth. I sighed. Then, I quickly looked up at Charlie and nodded again to say that I agreed.

He left with a smile and I slumped back onto Bella's bed. I felt my eyelids falling down onto my eyes. I conceded to the tugging and fell into a short, dreamless sleep. It was short because only forty minutes later the doorbell rang. I got up, brushed my hair and went downstairs assuming that it was the Chinese food.

I found Bella, Edward, and Renesmee who had just come in the doorway.

"Hello," Bella smiled. She was so beautiful. I guessed that becoming a vampire must've enhanced each and every already attractive feature of a human.

Their beautiful little daughter came in and put her toys on the floor in the family room. Then she came to me.

"Will you play with me?" She tugged on my sweatpants. I smiled at her and followed her to the heap of toys. She proceeded to pull out a deck of cards and deal a game of speed. I was astounded, naturally.

"Now, Ren," Bella's musical voice floated into the room as she poked her head around the family room's doorframe, "you know that it's not fair to play that game with humans."

Renesmee smiled.

"How old is she?" I asked quietly.

"Six," Bella said automatically. "Appearance-wise anyway." She tacked on to the end. My mouth formed a small "o", but I did not say anything. Renesmee patted my knee to get my attention.

"What game do you want to play?" Her chocolate eyes looked up at me.

"Whatever you want to play," I replied.

She dealt a game of crazy eights and we played for a while. The little girl beat me every time. I couldn't understand how she did. Most kids her age only knew how to play "Go Fish."

The Chinese food came and mainly Charlie and I ate. He had ordered enough for everyone in attendance; there would be plenty of leftovers. I wondered if he hadn't figured out that his daughter and her equally beautiful husband didn't eat. Renesmee ate some meat and drank a couple glasses of water, per her mother's request.

After dinner, I played more with Ren and she actually asked for some dessert. Human food wasn't _all_ bad apparently; even half-vampire children could appreciate dessert. After dessert, the little girl sat with her dad on one of Charlie's chairs as I went to use the upstairs bathroom.

I got out of the bathroom and went to my… the room to get my hairbrush. Surprisingly, Bella was in the room.

"I just… wanted a blanket for Renesmee," she smiled sheepishly. So, vampires _weren't_ immune to embarrassment. I nodded silently. "So… how do you like the room?"

"It's nice," I decided to be brief, but truthful.

"When you drive to school, I must warn you, it _will_ be awkward. Charlie doesn't exactly have a way with words." Bella sat down on her bed and invited me to talk. This was obviously a gesture for me; I knew she didn't need to sit. "Um, Neela, I know what happened with Seth and this whole thing is rough. I-I want you to know that I'm really here for you. I mean, I know most of the wolves don't like me—Leah especially—but I don't want any hard feelings. Seth doesn't seem to mind me. And, while you're staying here, I'll probably be around a lot. I just… don't want you to hate me." She flashed that sheepish smile again.

"Don't worry about it Bella," I smiled back. I didn't see why Leah disliked her so much. Maybe because she saw Jacob's mind; she truly knew what kind of impact Bella had made on Jacob.

"Alright," Bella patted the blanket on her lap and then got up to go downstairs. I continued to sit for a little while. I didn't know how to take Bella's advice. I couldn't assume that she hadn't been through the wringer; I didn't know how much experience she had.

I went downstairs just as Bella and Edward were leaving. Edward held his little, sleeping daughter on his side as Bella hugged Charlie and me goodbye. After they left I realized how late it was.

"Well, we should go to bed," Charlie said. "You've got a big day tomorrow. Don't let it keep you up tonight though. Most of the kids are pretty nice; there are only a few troublemakers." Charlie smiled and then shuffled up the stairs.

I stood at the bottom of the stairs for a while, and then sat down on the second-to-last step. I sighed and closed my eyes trying to think happy thoughts as I heard Charlie begin to snore. Suddenly, I heard a wolf howl. I raced up the steps to the bedroom and looked out its tiny window.

A sandy-colored wolf was in the driveway sporting his typical grin. He acknowledged me with a low bark.

"Seth!" I could feel my face lighting up. "What are you doing here? You're going to get in trouble."

The Seth wolf let out a whine. He ran off into the woods and I could feel my face fall. He didn't even warn me that he was leaving. Then he came back, but he was in human form this time. I smiled at him.

"Do you want to get the door for me or do I have to climb up?" Seth called.

"I could always let down my hair," I smiled. "Which would make less noise?"

Seth answered my by climbing up the tree that was adjacent to the window. He was swift and graceful as he climbed and then leapt into the window.

"Hi," I breathed quietly. Seth's face was just inches from mine. He initiated a kiss that was just as wonderful as our first. This time the kiss held a longing. While still embracing we managed to reach the bed and fall onto it. This wasn't something I normally did; I wondered if I was doing it right.

"Wow," Seth broke the kiss. "I missed you so much, in only two days!"

"I have to go to school tomorrow, don't you?"

"Well, I could, I guess. I'll come see you afterwards."

Seth moved in to kiss me again. Suddenly, I remembered why I was confined to Charlie's house and Forks High School.

"Seth, wait," I warned him. "I can't… I shouldn't be doing this. You shouldn't be here. Don't… Don't make this harder for me." I turned my face away from him and crawled under the bedcovers.

"Neela… what?"

"You know what, Seth. Please, just go," I fought back tears and kept my face from his. I didn't want to see if he was sad or broken; I knew that if I did, I would begin to cry. I had to appear strong, at the very, very least.

"I love you, Neela. I will always love you until the end of time," Seth said as he leapt out the window. I broke down right after he left and began to sob. I blubbered off reassuring words to myself that I had done the right thing.

Exhausted from crying, I began to fall asleep moments later, thinking I could cry no more. But, the broken cry of a wolf sent me into renewed tears. My dreams kept me up that night as they had so many times since I had come to Forks. But this time there was no smiling boy; there was only the heartbreaking howl of a wolf repeating in my head.

* * *

Soo, long chapter before I leave! I'm going to be in Hawaii for a while. I hope you enjoyed this one. I had a lot of fun writing it. I've got a few plans for the next chapter. A few new characters and some stuff that harkens back to the books. Bye!

**Please, please, please** review, it makes me want to write!!! (If you think I sound desperate, I am!)


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